A new light, a new life
by iamaweirdo96
Summary: While hiking in the woods, Bella Swan comes across a beautiful stranger who seems intent on killing her. For reasons unknown to her, she decides to take him to her house. Is this wild man of more significance than she realized? Will he let her in, or does he blame her for helping him out? All Human, may contain touchy subjects.
1. Chapter 1 Ruler

Darkness. Moonless skies above, raging seas around. Life couldn't really get any better for him. Or maybe, some may refer to it as death… whatever fit their puny minds, he supposed.

In his opinion, which was all should really matter, this was life.

Not a care in the world, no responsibility, no needing to satisfy another.

Satisfy yourself. No one else matters.

This was what he had learnt, a long time ago, a time, when he had made a mistake, and had paid for it. With his life.

Although perhaps no longer his "life", as he no longer saw it that way.

He closed his eyes unnecessarily in the black around him, reveling, just marveling in the sense of power, of victory, at having none to answer to.

He was the alpha, the one and only. And that was enough. He needed nothing more.

He was the ultimate ruler, the greatest predator.

And, he smelt his prey…

**anlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlan lanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanla nlanlanl**

Silence. He moved stealthily, not breathing, not making a sound.

It was getting closer. He could feel it. Excitement, something he had long since felt, engulfed him.

For a moment, he was unnerved. He frowned, stopping.

Excitement?

There was no excitement for him, no fun.

He did this to breathe, to survive.

He did not revel in the misery of others, nor did he in their deaths, human, or otherwise.

No.

It had not been too long since he himself had been, not the hunter, but the hunted.

He could still feel the blood pounding in his veins, recall that fear very nearly stilling his over-anxious heart, hear that-

_ No._

He had a job to complete. He couldn't afford to lose his focus at this point in the hunt. He had to rein in the excitement.

There was that word again. _Excitement. _

Giving himself a mental shake, he came out of his reverie, and tried to remember what he had originally planned on doing.

Ah. Back on target.

He moved along the direction of the smell that had once incited his gag reflex, but now hardly bothered him- that which he could almost taste

Conditioning his mind to perform the grueling everyday task, he let his senses lead him to the place where his prey stood, almost as if in wait for him.

He made his move, going for the kill…

**anlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlan lanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanlanla nlanlanl**

Satisfied. He had completed his task and he had done it thoroughly. No suspicion, no evidence. He might as well turn in for the night.

Night.

He snorted, not bothering to maintain silence any longer.

What _was_ the night?

Was night the darkness that the puny lesser seemed so frightened of, the time when the sun had long since drowned in the horizon?

Or, was the meaning more metaphorical?

It must be, he mused.

Create a time-frame when they could fear, shake and shudder, with a seemingly perfect explanation.

They could tremble in fear in their beds like the cowards they really were, and no one would say a thing.

The concept of 'night ', to him was superficial, non-existent.

He slept when he wanted, and hunted at his pleasure.

No one dictated his most mundane tasks like when he had to rest, or eat, or otherwise.

He needed no one. His world had a thin line stretched across its middle, one half in which he existed, and the other, which contained the rest.

He felt nothing but disgust at them. How helpless they all were, how dependant.

They needed attention all the time. They always had to have someone to coddle them, comfort, care for and help them.

They expected everything out of the world, and spewed nothing but hurt and hatred in return.

They each thought they ruled the world, that everything revolved around their miserable lives. Ha! How frivolous their minds were!

Nobody was important, in the big picture. They were all but tiny ants, pretending to have more worth than they deserved.

Use and throw. That's what each of them was. Once their role was fulfilled, no matter what their position or promises, or reassurances, they would be disposed of, in the end.

Suddenly, a thought broke through the bitter musings of his dark mind.

Why was he comparing himself to them again?

Was it a warning, a sign, of something yet to come?

_ A sign._

His mind started to shift towards the thought of someone who had once believed in signs and fates, before he forcibly shook all thoughts out of his head.

As he drifted towards the safety of sleep, a voice broke out of the confines of his memory-

"_Good night, my son. Remember, you are always loved"_

_ "You lied", _was his last thought, before he shifted into an uneasy slumber.

_You lied…_


	2. Chapter 2 First light

** FIRST LIGHT**

Light. The first thing he was aware of, when he opened his eyes. Blindingly bright, irritatingly colorful- in short, light. Ugh.

Years of seeing nothing but the dark insides of a basement had caused his aversion to brightness, even though the basement was long since forgotten.

Now, he held light as a reminder of every deception that existed in the world, every lie, every false promise.

And light, was just that- a false promise of safety. When you were a kid, it was always that the monsters would only come out at night. As long as it was sunny, you were safe.

At night, your only fear would be of green, hairy blobs that seemed to eat little kids for dinner.

Ah! To be a child once again, where sleeping in your big brother's room meant safety and sleep, where your father could fight ugly monsters with a baseball bat, and your mother was the sanctuary of love, warmth and care.

But he was no child, and monsters did not exist.

The only 'monsters' were humans themselves, humans, who had lost their last existing shred of humanity, and fed off the innocence and fear of another.

Once maybe, light symbolized safety. But today, he realized, there was no safety, not in the darkness, and certainly not in the bright sunlight that gave courage to most.

There was nothing wonderfully great about light. It just gave you a chance to see all that was ugly and evil in the world?

Who said evil lurked in dark corners only?

Evil was everywhere, and to a well trained eye, evil could be seen, in open light, going about the same tasks as another, mingling with the crowd, fooling all but who were just like them.

He would know well of such evils, he thought darkly, suppressed memories rising unbidden to the surface of his mind, engulfing him in the reminders of dark days filled with pain, fear, and sadistic laughter.

The memories threatened to suffocate him, kill him with just their essence, and he prepared to go under, lose the battle against his consciousness, when he heard a sound.

It was nothing life threatening, but his ears had become attuned to the minutest of sounds.

Warily he stood, senses open looking covertly around for the source of the noise, but he could see nothing in his immediate sight.

Keeping as silent as he could, he moved from the clearing he had been hiding in, and started towards the source of the sound.

His mind had automatically shifted to instinct.

Survival

That was all that mattered.

There was a threat, and he had to eliminate it.

Of course, fate was never on his side, was it?

**…..**

It was one of _them_. A little, fragile little one, but still, a part of _their_ world.

_Eliminate the threat_

For some strange reason, he could not bring himself to kill her right away.

Strangely fascinated by the petite girl, he decided to just scare her off.

He released a feral roar, wanting the little one to scamper off before he was forced to resort to more violent means.

Yet, once again, fate worked against him.

His territorial growl barely caused the little one to flinch.

She merely lifted her head up from where she was crouched on the ground, next to a fallen log, and she gave an annoyed sigh.

_Annoyed?_

Her facial expression rendered him bemused and momentarily dumb, before he let loose another intimidating snarl.

Another sigh followed.

This was truly annoying _him _now.

Who did this creature think she was?

She should have run, screaming, ages ago.

Still, she sat there, looking up at him expectantly, as if waiting for him to say something.

He remained mute, meeting her eyes, willing her to run.

She just looked back at him, daring him to come closer.

As he stared, his eyes were lost in the endless depths of hers-brown, warm, intelligent, and filled with secrets.

He wanted to know those secrets. He wanted to know _her_.

She was the first to break the spell. He instantly missed her eyes.

She stood, arms folded, beautiful eyes challenging, a smirk on her face.

Breaking out of whatever spell she had cast upon him, he prepared to scare her off for good.

Just as he was building up another roar, she cut him off with a slash of her hand

"Oh, stop it," she said, "Save the caveman attitude will you?"

He just stared. And stared.

What _was _this creature? She didn't seem at all fearful of his presence. Instead, she seemed…what?

What word existed to define her? He just could not understand anything.

He just stared at her dumbly, unable to build up any anger in the midst of his confusion, when she expelled air with a little sigh, shook her head and began,

"Fine, let's start this conversation again, shall we? I'm Bella, and you are…?"

He could only stare dumbly at the delicate hand she stuck out between them.

After a few seconds, she withdrew her hand, and stepped back.

Who was this man? He acted almost like he had never seen a human before.

He had roared at her, like an animal, an animal that was protecting his territory…

Why was he like this though?

Before, when she had looked into his brilliant green eyes, she had not seen an angry wild animal. She had seen a human, an intelligent human who had somehow lost faith in the world.

Just thinking about how he might have been hurt made her shudder with fear. Who could have hurt such a beautiful man?

How?

Why?

When?

And why was he living in the woods?

Why did he wear tattered clothes that looked like they might have cost a pretty penny once?

Why did he stare at her like _she_ was the complex conundrum?

Why? Why? Why?

Her heart went out to the silent brooding man in front of her, and for some reason she wanted to help him.

She could tell that he wouldn't accept help of any kind from her.

She had to think fast. Even though she knew she should be scared of this strange man, she could sense no danger from him, just raw pain, sadness, hurt, and _fear. _He was scared, and he tried to hide it through bravado.

Instinctually, she knew this man could hear and speak. He just chose not to. That was another hurdle she would have to cross.

She needed to take him home. She could not help him alone. She would have to get someone's help. Maybe she could call Alice. She always knew what to do. She would definitely help her out.

But first, she had to take him to her house. Her mother had always had a tendency to act before thinking, and it seemed as though that gene had suddenly taken over her mind, for she suddenly turned as if to leave, tripped, and fell down.

**…**

He could not believe it.

One minute this… Bella was introducing herself, and the next, she was staring off into space.

He waited for her to do something, at least blink, but she just stood there, staring at him without really seeing, making him wonder, not for the first time, if she was mentally unstable.

That seemed to be the only explanation.

Why else would she be unaware of the meaning of fear? Why would she wander, alone into the woods? Had she escaped from a mental institution?

Because he could think of nothing else that made any sense.

Just as he was about make her stop staring by knocking her unconscious, she turned, and promptly fell down.

And started screaming. Loudly.

He panicked. What was wrong now?

What could go wrong now?

He didn't know what to do. He had to make her stop screaming.

Immediately.

He considered knocking her out, but dismissed the idea instantly. It would hurt her, and for some strange reason, he did not want to see her hurt.

He contemplated running away, but just as he took a step backward, her screaming stopped, and she whispered in a hoarse voice

"I think my ankle is sprained. Could you help me home?"

He _really _wanted to run now.


	3. Chapter 3 Outside

** OUTSIDE**

Previously:

"_I think my ankle's sprained. Could you help me home?"_

_He really wanted to run now…_

* * *

_Now:_

Bella was an idiot. Really. Why in God's name did she think her miraculous idea would work? Judging by his reaction, he was just one step away from killing her.

He was staring at her, green eyes bulging, one hand gripping his bronze hair, as though he was about to faint. She could not have that happen…

_Or maybe she could…_

If he fainted, she'd only have to drag him home…

_Not going to work._

So, she tried again.

"My house, it's just beyond these woods. I think my ankle's sprained, could you please just help me?"

Well, she got a response alright.

He turned on his heel and ran away.

Great. Just perfect. Guess chivalry really was dead after all.

….

He didn't know what to do. Did this girl have no sense of self preservation?

He had tried to _kill_ her for heaven's sake. She was definitely crazy.

As he contemplated her mental stability, or lack thereof, her voice rose once again from the ground. She wanted him to take her home. She even went so far as to tell him where she lived.

What happened to "Don't speak to strangers "? She must have a death wish.

So, he did the one thing his mind told him to.

_Run. _He ran.

* * *

He ran away from her, from the clearing, from the madness, and hid behind a few bushes, panting.

What was wrong with him?

She was one of _them, _then why did he want to save her?

He remembered her face as he left her in the clearing.

_Hurt._

He had done to her what had been done to him. He had left her in her time of need.

A new feeling surged up in him. It made his stomach queasy. He didn't understand it. But it told him to go back, and help the tiny girl.

Bella. Deep in the recesses of his mind he recalled that her name meant beautiful. Fitting, really. She was truly beautiful, with her warm eyes, and beautiful smile. She was strong, unafraid of the world, and she seemed to find some good in him.

He was not _good._ He was… he was bad. Evil.

Still, his eyes betrayed him and strayed back in the direction of the clearing.

_Go back._

He listened, as though compelled.

He ran.

…

She really had to stop thinking. Really.

No good ever came out of her wonderful plans. They only ended up messing her situation further.

She had scared him away. Great. Now what? She might as well get up and leave. No good was about to come from her lying sprawled on the ground.

She got up, and turned to leave. As luck would have it, her foot got caught in a root, and she fell, back to the same place she had been lying in before.

Only this time, her ankle really was sprained. And there was no beautiful stranger to help her out.

_Oh crap._

…..

He ran back to the clearing, hoping that she had not left. He let a sigh of relief when he saw her lying on the ground on her back, an arm over her eyes, muttering something rapidly under her breath.

He almost laughed. Almost. This girl was a living enigma.

He warily approached her, half expecting her to bite him, till he was standing right next to her. She didn't hear. He crouched on the ground next to her, willing her to look up.

Of course, she never did things the way he wanted, did she?

He slowly extended one long finger and poked the arm covering her face. She started and sat up, looking wildly around. The sight of her was so comical, he began to chuckle.

And then stopped abruptly. He had_ laughed. _This strange, small girl had made him laugh.

He looked at her in awe, only to find her scowling at him. This very nearly set him off again, but he managed to keep a straight face as he raised a single eyebrow at her. She suddenly blushed, rendering him confused yet again. She must have sensed his confusion, for she blushed even harder.

He waited for her to calm down, then made the universal gesture for _where?_

It was now her turn to look confused. He impatiently pointed in the direction of the trees that led to the town.

"Oh, yeah that's where my house is. I don't suppose you cou-"

She was cut off as he lifted her in his arms, and started walking briskly towards the direction he had pointed in.

She looked up at him, bemused. One second this man was running away from her with a scowl that looked as though it had been carved on his face, permanently, and the next, he was laughing and lifting her as though she was no more than dead weight.

The man was a living contradiction.

Suddenly it struck her. Her plan had worked after all. Of course, it had taken her actually getting hurt as opposed to her faking it, but still, the first part of her plan was complete. Now for step two…

* * *

He reached the edge of the woods. He could see the town up ahead in the distance. He hesitated, not wanting to go in there.

As though she sensed his hesitation, she looked up at him and said "Please?"

That plea made the decision for him and he strode forward, out of the trees that had been his only home for four years, and into the civilization that he had loathed with a vehemence for just as long.

He had to do this. He had to help Bella. He had to let go of his demons. He could do this. He could do this.

Over and over he repeated this mantra in his head, and he walked on. As though she knew the turmoil that was running through his mind, Bella started talking.

"My house is the closest to the woods. I was just searching for some calm and peace, when I came across the clearing. Of course, I didn't get much of what I came for, did I? Oh, straight up ahead. The blue and white house. My friend should be inside. I was supposed to go shopping with her today. Guess things didn't work out as planned. I guess I should thank you for getting me out of that visit to hell-"

On and on she went. He sighed, not used to so much talking. One part of him wanted to tape her mouth shut, while another was fascinated by her words.

Had he once been like that? Had he also talked incessantly?

He did not remember her from when he had been in the town. She must have moved here after he had…left.

His inner musing was cut short as he reached her house. He stopped at the door, not knowing what to do next.

"The door's unlocked. You can just kick it open."

Oh. He did as she said, pushing the door open with his foot.

Instantly, he was assaulted by a small tornado that was talking so fast he could barely understand.

"Oh my God where have you been? I've been so worried! I was one step away from calling the chief, you know. What happened? Did you get hurt again? Let me guess, you were in the woods again. Oh. Who is this?"

He looked up at the source of the shrill noise, and into eyes that were a replica of his own.

She gasped, apparently recognizing the same thing. "Edward?"

The first word since four years ago, escaped his mouth.

"Alice?"

* * *

TBC

* * *

AN: Thank you to those who reviewed my story. This is the first fanfic that I have ever written, so please review, and tell me what you think.


	4. Chapter 4 Reunion

**MEETING**

**PREVIOUSLY**:

_"Edward?"_

_The first word since four years ago, escaped his mouth._

_"Alice?"_

* * *

**NOW**:

Green eyes bore into green eyes, both wide with disbelief.

The shrill soprano, so loud just a minute ago, was now hushed.

"Edward?"

He didn't answer, just stared at a face he had thought he would never see ever again.

She had barely changed, the small, elven features of her face almost the same as they had been years ago. _She_ was the same, all except her eyes. The eyes, so similar to his, that had been always filled with mischief and exuberance, now had an almost closed off look, a look which said she had many walls put up to prevent anyone from seeing her pain.

He would know of the look, after all, he had spent the past few years trying to perfect the very walls he could now see in the eyes of his sister. His twin. The girl he had loved and cherished with every ounce of his life. The girl he had woken up crying for so many nights, only to be treated with sadistic laughter and pain, his silence always bartered for threats to her life.

He looked into her eyes, and suddenly, it was as though an invisible barrier was broken, a barrier he had set up between himself and his soul. He hadn't needed a soul, hadn't wanted a soul for so long; but now, looking into the eyes that he found so much pain in, he found himself wishing he had a soul, wishing he could look at her in the eye and tell her that he was a good person.

He wasn't.

Apparently, though, she did not see the monster that he was so sure was glaring back at her, instead, a tear rolled down her cheek as she launched herself at him, nearly knocking him over in the process.

* * *

She clung to him, her tear ripping apart the façade she had been trying so hard to keep the past few years, and she let the sobs and gasps overwhelm her, as she desperately held herself to her brother.

The boy who had shared everything with her, from the crib to chocolate ice cream, the boy who had chased away every nightmare, every monster in her closet, the boy who had considered it his personal mission to keep her safe, who had been the object of her awe as a child, the person she had tried to emulate as a child, only to be laughed at, and saved yet again by him. Her brother.

_Edward._

When he had disappeared, she had once again tried to copy his strength, his ability to stay strong in every situation, to be able to find the silver lining in every cloud, to find humor in every sadness.

But, try as she may, she couldn't. There was no silver lining in a storm, and nothing even remotely funny about losing her brother. So many nights she would wake up in a cold sweat, unable to sleep, as she wondered if he even had a bed to sleep in, so many times she had gone to his room, trying to find his presence in the sheets she had all but screamed at her mother to not wash, even months after her parents had tried to explain that there was a very good chance he wouldn't come back.

_"he's coming back, just you see! He would never leave me like this. He'll come back for _me! _You're the reason he's gone! You sent him away just because he wanted to do something for himself, for the first time in his life! He always puts everybody else first! For once he was his own priority, and you made him go away!"_

That had been the day her family had nearly been torn apart. If it had not been for her brother, there was a very good chance that her parents would have split apart; that what had once been the example of a model family would have crumbled to dust.

Emmett had joined the family at the seams that had been created when Edward had gone. He made sure that the memories of their youngest brother was never forgotten, he encouraged Alice's stubborn insistence that Edward would come back. He made everyone laugh, when they had found no reason to life, let alone happiness.

But now they could be happy again. Edward was back! She knew, without doubt, that he had changed. She could see it in the way he flinched at her touch, by the way his face had a nearly feral look to it.

With a jolt, she remembered that Bella had brought him in from the forest. She found herself imagining the situations that might have forced him there, the horrors he must have faced there. He had been gone for longer than four years; just how many of those had he spent there alone, with no one to comfort him or love him? She clung even tighter to him, burying her face in the crook of his neck, wanting to give him all the love that he had not seen for so long.

Suddenly, she felt him push her away. He set her on the ground and backed up, till his back touched the wall and he had nowhere else to go. Her hurt lasted a second, till she saw his face.

He had a nearly inhuman look on him, a mixture of surprise, confusion and a dozen other emotions she could barely identify, let alone imagine.

The way he held himself was almost…protective. He looked as though he was waiting for something, something bad, though she couldn't think of what it could be.

* * *

As she launched herself at him, he was assaulted by a horde of memories, memories that he had long since buried deep down inside.

_His parents looking on proudly and lovingly as he taught Alice to ride a bike. His mother's screech of disgust as he and Emmett gave her the dead rat they had found in the backyard, his father laughing hysterically as he tried, without much success to chastise them for scaring their mother._

_Alice's wide grin as he gave her half his ice cream, lying that he didn't like it. Prank wars with his brother, where Alice _ always _ took his side._

These memories were accompanied by other, less pleasant ones.

_Walking in the dark as he snuck back home after curfew, wondering who would be disappointed in him this time. He hoped it wouldn't be Alice. He needed her support. A strange scurrying noise,…_

Enough!

He could barely keep the memories at bay, when he realized that his sister was still attached to his neck. In his panic, he didn't think of who was touching him, just that someone was, and he scurried back as far as he could till he found himself against the wall.

_Trapped_.

He crouched into himself, waiting for the assault, for the blows, the angry kicks and screams, daring him to show his pain out.

There was a mass of voices before him. First two soft ones, that almost seemed to soothe him for some reason, but then a new voice joined them, a gruff sound that had him shaking and wishing that they wouldn't prolong the pain so much, that they would, just for once, get it over with quickly, rip the bandages out quickly, instead of savoring his attempts at hiding his pain as they took time, the anticipation, almost hurting more than the actual pain.

He waited for the smell of his blood as they spilled it. Waited.

When the touch came though, he didn't expect it.

* * *

**TBC**

**PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK:)**


	5. Chapter 5 Panic

**PANIC**

**PREVIOUSLY:**

He waited for the smell of his blood as they spilled it. Waited.

When the touch came though, he didn't expect it.

* * *

**NOW:**

In the red haze that filled his mind, a small spark of realization broke through, that the hand that was on his shoulder was not painful. Instead, it seemed…reassuring.

But he wasn't fooled for a second. They would always strike when he was least expecting it, always cause the most pain when he had fallen into a false sense of relief, of safety.

He tensed up further, waiting for the blows. Distantly, he could hear a strange noise, an almost wheezing kind of sound.

It took him a second to realize that he was the source of the sound. In between the strange roar he felt in his head and chest, he could hear voices.

"A_lice_,_ he's not responding! What do we do?"_

_"Girls, who is this boy?"_

_"Chief, this is Edward, my brother."_

_"What?"_

_"Wait! First we have to help him"_

_"You're right. Edward?"_

_"Edward?"_

_"Edward?"_

_"Bella, can you call my father? He's the only one who can get through to him."_

_"One second… uh, hello? Carlisle? Actually, can you come over to my house? It's… no, not Alice, it's… Edward? Alice he's fainted!"_

_"oh my God! Edward? Edward!"_

Darkness.

* * *

Bella had seen a lot of strange days in her life, but this one took the cake, by far. She had just brought a strange wild man home, disregarding her instincts to run away from him, but the events that followed her actions threw her off balance.

Edward. Somehow, the name fit him. It was strange, almost unheard of, sort of like the guy himself.

Till date, she had never heard Alice mention an Edward. She should have seen it when she first found him. They were so obviously related, now that she looked at it. They shared the same green eyes, they held themselves the same way, and even the pain she sometimes found in Alice's eyes mirrored that which she found in Edward's.

She just couldn't wrap her head round any of it. One minute Alice was berating her for showing her up for the shopping trip, the next, she was staring dumbstruck at the green eyed stranger who had so reluctantly carried her home.

And, if that was not all, she had flung herself at the man, whispering his name reverentially, as though she expected him to disappear.

What really dropped the last brick, however, was Edward's reaction. Throwing himself out of Alice's embrace, he had given them a look that broke her heart. It was as though he was expecting them to hurt him.

Gone was the angry gruff wild man who had roared at her, furiously. In his place was a boy, a poor hurt boy who seemed to expect nothing but violence and cruelty from the world. When she first met him, she had seen through his emotionless façade and had felt sorry. Now though, looking at him, she felt a strange protectiveness, a white rage at the people who had broken this undeserving soul.

Her thoughts were broken by a strange wailing noise coming from Edward. He was having a panic attack. The girls looked at each other, and somehow, his panic affected them as they started running about in a wild mass of confusion.

Alice had gone up to him, intending to apologize, but no sooner did she touch him, than his breathing became unbelievably more erratic.

Through the noise and confusion, she did not notice her father's entry into the house. His voice broke through the loud mess in the living room.

"Girls, what is going on here?

Both of them started, staring up at the chief with matching expressions of nervousness and anxiety. It was then that Charlie saw Edward, curled into himself, shaking and shivering, taking loud breaths that seemed to shake his entire frame.

Charlie seemed to realize that making everyone calm was the first priority there, and he joined the girls in comforting the scared stranger in his house.

When their tries seemed to increase his fear, Alice asked her to call Carlisle, Alice's and, she supposed, Edward's father.

"Hello, Carlisle?"

_"Bella? Is something the matter?"_

"Actually, can you come over to my house? It's…"

"_What's wrong? Are you hurt? Is Alice?"_

"No, it's not Alice. It's… Edward?" While she was on the phone, Edward must have found it too much, for his head slumped against the wall and he lost the will to fight.

"Alice, he's fainted"

"Oh my God! Edward!"

"Edward!"

"_Bella? What's going on? What are you talking about? Who-"_

She cut him off, too panicked to hear another person frightened.

"Just get here, Carlisle, please."

_"Wait, Bella, what has happened? I need you to calm down and tell me, alright? I am in the car, and I am on my way to your house. Now, who is in your house? Who has fainted?"_

Carlisle's voice soothed the jumbled mess her mind was in, and she explained over the phone, how her trip into the forest had resulted in the events that had just unfolded

"…Alice called him Edward-Carlisle? Hello?"

She had heard him gasp when she spoke the stranger's name.

"Carlisle, who's Edward? Is he-"

_"Bella, I think we should continue this conversation when I am not in danger of having an accident, okay? Now, don't wake him, alright?_

"What? But-"

_"Sweetheart, he fainted because of a panic attack, right? So when he wakes up, it may trigger his anxiety again. I am close to the house, don't worry, okay? Bella, do you understand?"_

She found herself nodding dumbly before gathering her wits enough to answer verbally. "Yeah, okay, don't wake him."

_"Good. Now, I'm turning the corner. I will talk to you when I get there, okay?_

"Yeah, sure…" She was too much in a daze to say much more, but thankfully, she didn't have to, as she heard the familiar screeching of the Mercedes outside her house.

* * *

Carlisle rushed inside, not bothering to knock, and entered the living room. He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw the sight that welcomed him. Bella just stood there, as if unable to comprehend anything around her, Alice was in tears, with Charlie trying to soothe her, looking awkward and confused all at once.

His eyes then swiveled to the unmoving bulk at the corner of the room, and he found himself walking forwards, dazed, unable to stop himself.

As though sensing his presence, the bulk twitched, then turned, turning bleary eyes upon the people in the room. Sweeping around, they came to rest upon the newest occupant, who turned white and whose hand gripped the back of an armrest as though composing himself.

Carlisle turned tear filled eyes upon his once lost son and responded in much the same way as his daughter had.

"Edward. My son."

The younger man's eyes widened as they recognized the speaker.

"Dad?"

"Oh God, Edward. You're…you're alive. You're here."

His voice broke in the end as he looked upon a face that was but a shadow of the young man he had once been. This new version of his youngest was frightening, broken and faded. He made to go towards him, but he flinched, curling, if possible, even more into himself.

He closed his eyes, tears leaking out their corners before he composed himself and turned upon the girl who seemed to be the reason for it all.

Bella looked like a deer caught in the headlights as the two adults in the room faced her and Carlisle said,

"Explain."

_Now how was she going to go about that?_

* * *

**TBC**

**THANK YOU FOR THE FAVORITES AND FOLLOWS. PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW OR PM ME TO GIVE ME YOUR THOUGHTS.**


	6. Chapter 6 Trapped

**TRAPPED**

**PREVIOUSLY:**

Bella looked like a deer caught in the headlights as the two adults in the room faced her and Carlisle said,

"Explain."

_Now how was she going to go about that? _

* * *

**NOW:**

Steeling herself to the scrutiny of the adults, Bella launched into her less than believable experience that had led to present events. While Charlie looked openly astounded at the words escaping his daughter's mouth, Carlisle did not display any emotion upon his face.

Instead, his eyes betrayed every thought and fear he felt as his daughter's friend spun an extraordinary tale of a forest, a bruised ankle, and a seemingly multi faceted man who had turned out to be his son.

As she spoke of his wordless threats in the field, as opposed to the scared whimpers he had let loose once in her house, Carlisle's eyes misted over with tears he had long forgotten how to shed.

Here was his son, his ever inquisitive, witty, sarcastic protégé who had turned into this shadow that lay in the corner of the room, watching the others warily, as though wondering who would make the first move; he felt sick just thinking of what he might have had to endure all these years to make him but a shadow of his once beautiful self.

For months he had searched, taking the help of every private investigator, every friend, colleague and family to find his lost child. Even a year after the police had given up the search, declaring, not too subtly, that his son was either dead, or better yet so.

He had not taken the news well. He had fought, begged, pleaded and threatened anyone he could to bring his boy back, in vain.

Through the ordeal, the one mistake he had made was, while he searched for the missing tie in his family, he had let the rest of them slip away, leaving little more than memories left of the once perfect life they had shared with one another.

For the sake of his wife and remaining children, he had put up a brave face, turned his face away from his estranged son, and spent the remaining time trying to pull his family back together, stitching the torn pieces back together, trying his best to ignore the gaping hole that was left unjoined, all the while keeping a stoic face, and pretending that there wasn't anything wrong, that the past three years had never happened.

That was is Seattle. Hoping to make a new start, he had, with his family, moved to a tiny, inconsequential town where memories would be hard to find.

Just when everything had seemed to become better, and his children and wife had begun to forgive him for his seeming nonchalance, he had received a rather frantic phone call from one of his most regular patients and Alice's best friend, telling him to reach her house quickly. As he turned worried, imagining every possible accident that could have happened, Bella dropped a bombshell, speaking a word he had never expected to hear from anyone other than the four members of his family, though even that had become a rare, nearly taboo action. Edward.

His once reason for living, his sister's reason for happiness, his brother's reason for protectiveness, and his mother's reason for nearly everything.

Of course, he had soon become the reason for their sorrow, their misery and brokenness, the reason he had let his family drift so far away he had barely found them afterwards.

As soon as he had heard the screams emanating from the phone, mixed with the utter chaos, and panic he could feel even through the phone, he had swerved his car, almost hitting another, earning him quite a few dirty looks and curses.

He had to calm down. He had known this, and as little as he wanted to, he had hung up, staring at the small silver device in his hand, desperately wishing that it had not been a dream.

Of course, his wishes and prayers had been answered as he entered the doorway to the most chaotic scene had ever come across. There in a corner sat his boy, unmoving. His elation had been beyond measure when he had acknowledged him, but that feeling soon gave way to despair as soon as he saw the fear and wariness in his son's eyes.

What had happened? What _could_ have happened to make Edward like this? And why on _earth_ was he in Forks?

And so now he stood, listening to Bella as she explained everything, confusion and surprise in her every word.

At long last she finished, ending with the scene he had walked in upon.

When Bella turned quiet, Charlie looked at him, his face a comical mixture of incredulousness and suspicion, and spoke, disbelief in every word, "Dr. Cullen? Do you…know this boy?

Carlisle had the strange urge to laugh and cry at the same time.

"Yes Charlie, I know this boy, quite well, actually. He's my son. Surely you see the resemblance?"

Charlie looked as though the _resemblance _was the last thing he wanted to see at the moment.

"Dad?" The voice was small, almost invisible as he looked towards his daughter for the first time since he came there. "What do we do now?"

He quickly enfolded Alice in a tight hug, and all of them turned, as one, to the inhabited corner of the living room.

* * *

Edward tensed visibly, leaping up into an offensive crouch, waiting for one of them to move towards him.

The man on the farthest right spoke up first. His _father. _Carlisle. He had never expected to ever see him or hear his voice again. He almost relaxed, then stiffened once more when he realized that this must be another plan by _them. _ Another means to cause him pain and misery.

Somewhere in his mind, a voice whispered that this situation could not be possible. He had escaped a long time ago. There was no way he could be in their hands again.

His mind raced, trying to find _something _that made any of this possible. As he went over the events of the day, he was struck with realization. _Bella._ The little one.

She had tricked him. And he, like an absolute idiot, had fallen for her supposed innocence, and had played into her hands. Into _their _hands.

Eliminate the threat. Get rid of it. Finish the target.

He fell into the single minded façade he had maintained ever since his escape. He was the ruler. The ultimate Alpha. And, he smelt his prey.

He lunged, right at the creature that had led him right back to hell.

He saw nothing else, heard no one else, just saw her tremble in fear, and heard her terrified screams.

Suddenly, she was not in front of him anymore. He turned around, determined not to miss again, then knew nothing more.

Darkness.

* * *

**TBC**

**PLEASE, PLEASE READ AND REVIEW. MY CHARACTERS SORELY NEED IT TO GO ABOUT THEIR STORY.**


	7. Chapter 7 Daughters and Dangers

**DAUGHTERS AND DANGERS**

**Previously:**

Suddenly, she was not in front of him anymore. He turned around, determined not to miss again, then knew nothing more.

Darkness.

* * *

**Now:**

Crazy. That was the only word that seemed to come close to fit what the day had been. Curioser and curioser. The famous words came to mind, only, her mind replaced the innocent curiosity in the sentence by words not particularly apt for use by a lady, let alone in front of her father.

Crazy. The whole day had been a jumble of confusion, tears and all round weirdness. First Alice, no, wait, actually, first Edward, then Alice, and to top it off with icing and a big round cherry on top, their father, who was acting as far from his usual self as possible.

She had known Alice for two years, and had fast become her closest friend. She had always felt a sadness in the Cullens, but they had all mastered the art of putting up a perfect façade. Still, she had known them well enough, been around them enough to know that something was amiss in the otherwise perfect household.

Little had she even imagined that that which was _amiss,_ was actually a 22 year old son/brother who was missing. That would explain the extra room on the top floor of the Cullen manor that was always kept neat and clean by the help, but generally avoided by the family. Alice had told her that the room was not in use, but had refused to elaborate beyond that.

She stared at the wild man cowering in the corner, glaring balefully at anyone who dared meet his gaze, and felt a shiver pass through her at the pain she saw in his eyes.

She watched in eerie fascination as Carlisle made his way over to him, and stood, staring detachedly as Edward jumped into a crouch, becoming the snarling animal she had met in the meadow.

She had been wondering where the beast had been.

Lost in her thoughts, she nearly missed the fact that the person he was snarling at was her.

She came to her senses too late, though. She was unable to move in her panic, and just stood there, trembling as he advanced towards her, growling under his breath.

His face took on a predatory look as he pounced.

She screamed, waiting for the impact. It never came, though. She felt a rush of air as her feet left the ground for a minute.

Opening her eyes, she saw as Edward whirled around, searching for her. She heard screaming and wondered who it was before realizing it was herself. A strong pair of arms was wrapped around her, holding her safely.

She saw Charlie leap at her attacker, knocking him onto the ground, rendering him unconscious. Her mind made the link as she realized that it was Carlisle holding her away from his own son.

She felt a surge of warmth in the deep recesses of her mind before she gave into the numbing darkness that beckoned at her.

* * *

There were certain things that a father never wanted to happen in the life of his daughter. Watching her bring home a strange man was one of them. Watching her become the target of a psycho was another.

Of course, Isabella had never been the most predictable of girls.

Even as a child, she would never do as she was expected to. That said, there were still things that fell outside the territory of unpredictable.

It did not explain how, in the course of an hour, Chief Swan had been subjected to two of the biggest evils in the father's handbook on how to raise your daughter.

True, she had not 'brought home' a man in the way normal girls did, but what she had done was a thousand times scarier. And stranger.

Only she could manage to drag home a boy who looked like he was barely human, though that might have been due to the smell and dirt.

He had been the chief of police for two years, a normal policeman for even longer, and it was expected in his line of duty to be subjected to some of the biggest evils human kind would ever see.

But none of the fears he had ever had, and he had had a considerable few, could ever come close to the intense terror he felt as he watched his daughter get nearly ploughed over by the boy who was supposedly Dr. Cullen's lost son.

Though he felt grateful for the good doctor for pulling Bella out of the way, he had little time to think as he acted on instinct, knocking the wild man whose roars were overpowered by his daughter's screams, to the ground, knocking him unconscious in a well practiced maneuver.

He watched in dismay as both the attacker and the attacked fainted, leaving him heaving for breath, and across him, the father and daughter to stare at the fallen two in wide-eyed horror.

His mind was going into overload. He had to take one thing at a time. Looking at Carlisle, he seemed to be sharing his thoughts.

And that's how, after depositing their respective children in opposite sides of the destroyed living room, the two fathers found themselves sitting across each other while Alice tried to revive the unwaking Bella.

"So, Dr Cullen,", the Chief began, rubbing a hand across his chin and wondering, yet again, how he had managed to survive his daughter so long. She was going to give him a heart attack one day. Or maybe an aneurism. He found himself contemplating the pros versus the cons of each, wondering which would be less painful, before shaking his head at his ridiculous thoughts and trying to begin again.

"I think we all…" looking around, "Uh… I would like to hear the whole story.

We've already heard Bella's story, I think it's time for yours."

As Carlisle looked uncharacteristically panicked, Charlie took pity on him and started for him, "Your… son?"

Carlisle's eyes snapped to his and he seemed to have an internal conversation not unlike the ones Charlie often had when dealing with Bella before clearing his throat and starting,

"It started five years ago…"

* * *

**TBC**

**A/N: PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW... A FEW OF YOU HAVE FAVORITED MY STORY OR ADDED IT TO YOUR ALERTS. GRATEFUL AS I AM, I REALLY WISH YOU WOULD REVIEW TO SHOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THE STORY. GOOD, BAD, CHANGE, WHAT DO YOU THINK? ALSO, PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR IDEAS AND THOUGHTS SO THAT I CAN IMPROVE MY WORK. I HAVE NO IDEA IN WHICH DIRECTION TO PROCEED, AND I WOULD LOVE IT IF YOU WOULD COME UP WITH YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS. **


	8. Chapter 8 History

**HISTORY**

**PREVIOUSLY:**

Carlisle's eyes snapped to his and he seemed to have an internal conversation not unlike the ones Charlie often had when dealing with Bella before clearing his throat and starting,

"It started five years ago…"

* * *

**NOW:**

"We were living in Seattle at the time. Our lives were pretty normal, Emmett and the twins were attending the high school there. I was working in the local hospital as an attending, and life was pretty easy.

"When I was in college, I had made a friend in one of my classmates, Aro Volturi. He had always seemed nice, albeit a little…dark. He helped me out when I got into a spot of trouble and left me safe, but in debt. When I would ask him how I could thank him, he'd always laugh it off and tell me that I could help him out of some trouble if he got into any, in the future.

"Soon after, I realized Aro was dealing drugs in some shady areas. Not much later, he dropped out of college, and all but vanished from the face of the earth.

"I wondered where he had gone, and tried to contact him, but soon after I started my investigation, I met Esme and then Emmett was born, and my life was set. I never thought of him again.

"Then, five years ago, I received a call at the hospital I was working in."

Carlisle's eyes grew distant as he remembered the dreaded message that had started it all

_"Hello, this is Dr Cullen, how may I help you?"_

_"Well Well, _Dr Cullen _is it? How are you doing? How is the beautiful Esme? Oh, and the kids, of course, Emmett, Edward and…Alice, is it? I must say, Carlisle I am impressed with your _family"

_Carlisle was stunned. The voice did not seem familiar, yet the person seemed to know all about him_

_"Hello? Who is this? Tell me who you are." _

" _I am hurt, my _friend. _You have forgotten me that easily? That is sad. Maybe I should refresh your memories of college…"_

_Carlisle was shocked into silence. College? It could only be one person on the line._

_"Aro?"_

_"Ah, so you do remember."_

_"Of course I remember, my friend. How could I forget you?"_

_"How indeed. Now, I am in Seattle for a few days. I would like to meet you, and your wife, speaking of which, I am hurt, dear friend. You have married without a word to me?"_

_"You did not leave me a means to contact you Aro. Otherwise I would have called."_

_Carlisle felt a cold thread of some emotion he could not indentify coil in his gut. _This is Aro,_ he reminded himself, _your good friend.

_Still, the strange feeling did not leave him, and he shivered, as Aro laughed on the other side. The laugh was not right. It sounded…cold. And indifferent. _

_Somehow, he had a feeling that things were going to change soon. If only he had known how right he was._

* * *

Both Carlisle and Charlie were startled out of their bubble by a low groan, coming from the side in which the girls were sitting.

Charlie was instantly by Bella's side.

"Bella? Honey, can you hear me?"

Bella groaned. For a second she wondered what she was doing there, lying on the floor, three pairs of wide eyes hovering over her, and then it all came back to her- the woods, the man,…

_Edward._

She sat up quickly, ignoring her body's protests as she did so, and looked around for the source of her fainting spell.

There, in the corner of the room opposite to her, lay the strange man, unconscious. She noticed that nobody seemed to be hovering over him, or really, even worried that he just lay there, unmoving.

She remembered the attack, and Charlie shoving him away.

A thousand thoughts filled her head.

Was he hurt?

Or worse yet, was he…_dead?_

No, no, no.

No.

She snapped her eyes away from him and towards his father, who sat there looking at her, rather than the wild man across the room.

Her fears increased tenfold.

She finally found her voice. "What's wrong? Why is he-? Is he-"

Huh. Apparently she had not found her voice after all.

Carlisle shot a look at his son when Bella spoke.

"What? Oh, no sweetheart. He's unconscious. We had to knock him out. He was too dangerous, and you had fainted,"

"Dangerous? He is your _son._ And he was _scared. Of us. _Why aren't you waking him up?"

Charlie shot a wry look at his exasperating daughter.

"Bella, the kid tried to kill you, and you're defending him? I swear, you have no sense of self preservation whatsoever.

"Of course I'm defending him! He was obviously unused to company, and he was _scared. _What part of that don't you people understand? You shouldn't be worried about me right now, worry about _him._ Please. If he is who you say he is, then act as his family is supposed to. Protect him."

Alice, who, though sitting with Bella had been watching her brother all along, shot her friend a grateful look.

Carlisle seemed to require no further prompting than Bella's words. Getting up hastily, he went over to where his son lay, and began to check for injuries.

As though sensing someone nearby, Edward's eyelids fluttered as he struggled to wake up. Opening his eyes blearily, he rested them upon his father and began to growl instantly.

Although his first instinct was to back away, Carlisle repeated Bella's words in his mind and sat still, meeting his son's eyes with his own and spoke softly.

"Edward, it's alright, son. I'm here now. You're safe now, and I will not let anyone hurt you again. I promise. I want to apologize to you, but I know that this is not the time or place. For now, just know that you are safe, son. Know _me. _Your sister is right here. You will see your mother and your brother in some time and we will all be here for you. I promise, son. Nothing will ever harm you again."

Edward's growls stilled, and he looked up at his father, seeming perplexed. "Dad?"

Carlisle gasped at his son's voice, and traitorous tears filled his eyes as he watched his son calm down in front of him.

Suddenly Edward sat up, looking around. His eyes fell upon Bella's and lingered there for a moment, before he looked away, searching for something.

Everyone stood still, not daring to breathe, as his eyes continued their survey across the room. They finally rested upon his father again, and he asked, in a voice much softer and more hesitant than the first, "Dad? Where's mom?"

* * *

**AN: I'M SO SORRY FOR POSTING SO LATE. SOMEHOW REALITY MADE SURE THAT I COULDN'T ESCAPE INTO THE WORLD OF FICTION FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS. I WILL TRY TO POST FASTER, EVEN IF IT IS NOT SCHEDULED. :)**

**PLEASE REVIEW AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS!**


	9. Chapter 9 Reminiscence

**EXPLANATIONS**

**PREVIOUSLY:**

Everyone stood still, not daring to breathe, as his eyes continued their survey across the room. They finally rested upon his father again, and he asked, in a voice much softer and more hesitant than the first, "Dad? Where's mom?"

* * *

**NOW:**

Upon hearing the quiet question, Carlisle's head alternated between staring at his son for his words, and looking questioningly at his daughter, who was staring at her newly found brother with an air of curiosity and worry. Feeling her father's gaze on her, she reluctantly turned her head away, and whispered at an unconscious mirror of her twin's volume, "Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm going to call her now."

Flustered and confused, she stepped out of the room to call her mother.

* * *

Esme Cullen was a woman of simple needs. She had her life perfectly prioritized and arranged. Of course, events in the past had ripped her plans apart. They had cast a dark cloud upon them all, taking away her youngest son, breaking apart the peaceful family that she had raised, lovingly and willingly, and moulded into something that had once been the envy of other families, and her pride.

Of course, said events had caused her family pain and torture, leaving them devastated and unwilling to move on. Finally, unable to bear the memories of the old town anymore, they had moved away, to a small insignificant town, where they could start anew.

And, it seemed, the move had been a good idea. Her children seemed to have moved on, making new friends and hiding the hurt. They were the perfect family again. They were rich and dignified, their children were model socialites, and they were once again the source of envy for the families there.

Even Carlisle seemed happier now. Working in a small town hospital seemed to suit him, and slowly, piece by piece, the family was staring to stick together again, leaving a gaping hole where her baby boy should have been.

Esme sighed. Edward. He was the kind of boy that left a lasting impression on everyone he met. Brilliant and witty, he could talk his way out of every situation he found himself in. Many a time had he charmed his parents out of punishing him for the mischief he and his brother got into, using his pleading eyes and clever words to climb out of the many holes they would trap themselves in.

Esme loved all of her children equally, but only when Edward was not there did she see how much her younger son had been the baby of the family. Emmett saw Edward as a friend and comrade-in-arms, Alice looked up to him despite her minuscule advantage in age, and together, the three had been tightly knit, in ways of their own.

Edward's disappearance had torn the siblings apart, leaving them lost and hanging, unable to find comfort in each other anymore. Emmett had taken a wrong turn, dealing drugs and coming home drunk and high every night.

Carlisle and Esme had been too caught up in their own frantic searching and pain to nip the habit in the bud. His habits had almost killed him though, and that was when they realized that they needed to move on, and stop living in the past.

Their children had never forgiven them for giving up, though. Esme knew how they felt, as she had felt the same when her husband had suggested it, weary and tired before his time. Of course, she could see why that had been the best decision to take, but she could never find it in her to forgive herself for abandoning her son.

And so they had started over, and the children had seemed to get better. While outsiders had seen contentment and perfection radiating from the family, Esme could see it all for what it really was- a farce. She could see as everyone woke up in the morning, and snapped their mask into place before doing anything else for the day.

They tried to hide it from her, but she could see the mask, she could see the pain behind it. Of course she would know, she hid her own mask from them too.

They had an unspoken agreement to never mention the incidents in Seattle in front of each other, nor the name of her son. She knew it was not healthy, avoidance, but the pain of knowledge was too great, too unbearable.

The walls swayed now and then, threatening to crumble, but they managed to hold it up together, albeit barely.

Moving to Forks seemed like a good idea; they could leave behind the past and start afresh.

Both Alice and Emmett seemed to be doing better, they had started dating again, and Alice had even made a new friend. Bella. They had refrained from telling her the family secret, although they were close to doing so, seeing as she had managed to find a place in all of their hearts with her kindness and love.

She had been the one to encourage them to mend themselves. She was Alice's best friend, Emmett's comrade-in-arms, Carlisle's protégée, and Esme's second daughter.

Bella was good for them all and the pick-me-up they needed when they were down. Alice wanted her to know about the missing member of the family, as Bella, being perceptive, had realized that something was wrong. She never mentioned it, and nobody thought to call her on it, but the truth was nearly out, and it would be better for her to hear it from the family, rather than find it out herself.

Although they had decided to tell her, they were all dreading the day they would have to revisit the past, and with it, answer the questions that would be sure to come.

Until that dreaded day, everyone was sure to not talk about it at all, although they were all feeling the tension and worry.

Esme sat at home, trying to think of something to keep her busy and avoid thinking of either the past or the impending future, when the phone rang.

Carlisle was at work, Emmett was out with his girlfriend, and Alice was at the mall. Esme was not expecting any calls, and had expected a quiet afternoon at home.

Wondering who it could be, and praying that nothing more would happen to her family, Esme picked up the phone with trembling hands.

"Hello?"

"Mom?"

It was Alice. Even through the phone, Esme could tell that her daughter's voice sounded anxious and scared, and her mind went into overdrive, imagining the horrendous possibilities of what her daughter was going to say. Taking a deep breath, she forced her voice to remain calm as she spoke.

"Alice? What's wrong honey?"

"Mom."

A trembling voice this time. Esme could hear voices in the background, but couldn't make out what they were saying. All of a sudden, Esme felt a strange trickle of fear run through her spine. Something was wrong, she knew it. She had not felt this way since-

"Mom."

Alice's voice broke through her foreboding thoughts. Ignoring the tremble in her own voice, Esme tried again.

"Alice, what's the matter? Please, sweetie, tell me."

Alice was quiet for a moment, and all Esme could hear was the jumble of voices muffled in the background. Alice spoke again, her voice significantly smaller.

"He's here, mom."

What?

"Who, honey? Where are you? Who's there?"

"Mom he's _here. _She found him."

"Alice you're making no sense. Are you with Bella? Can you-"

Alice's sobbing voice interrupted her.

"_Mom, listen. He's _here, mom. He's home."

Esme firmly squashed the hope she felt at Alice's words. It could not be true. It couldn't be-

"It's Edward, mom. He's here. _He's here."_

Esme felt the phone slip out of her hands as consciousness eluded her grasp. A million thoughts barged into her mind. Distantly, she could still hear Alice on the phone.

"_Mom? Mom!"_

The front door opened, and a new voice entered her thoughts, this one outside the phone.

"Mom? Where are… Mom!"

_Darkness._

* * *

**TBC**

**AN: THANK YOU FOR READING. PLEASE, LEND ME YOUR THOUGHTS.:)**


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